JULY 2 EISENHOWER'S ABILENE

If we were engaged in any other activity other than cross country biking we would have received a "rain check" today. For us it was a ride day to Abilene, KS, 64 miles NNE of McPherson, rain or shine. AND RAIN IT DID! We had fog early, then a misty rain, followed by several hours of soaking, steady rainfall. When you're wet, you're wet, so after a while it doesn't make a difference, it just slows you down and of course makes it more difficult to see (glasses on-glasses off). Fortunately, it was a short day. We were in Abilene ("The Wickedest Town in the West") by noon.

This is our 5th day in Kansas and we have not seen a hot, sunny day yet. Last year's riders experienced 100+ temperatures---maybe we are lucky.

Kansas Hay Field

The obvious benefit of being in Central and Eastern Kansas is the more pleasing landscape. It is much greener here, more tree lines, more softly rolling hills. Abilene and Soloman, KS could almost pass for a Connecticut town; old homes brought back to peak condition, tree lined streets, clean and prosperous neighborhoods. The farms are smaller family operations, rather than the industrial farms of Western Kansas.

We rode Kansas country backroads today. What a joy! Only an occasional famer's pick-up would be on the road--we had the freedom to ride several abreast and were able to talk.

Gerard et Monique en Gypsum

We had a SAG stop in the snall town of Gypsum, where we celebrated reaching the official HALF WAY POINT of our cross country trip. A group from Yale preceded us by a few days. They are on a cross country tour--although East to West-- to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Mike, a local restaurant owner, came out to greet us at the gazebo where Vern of AbB had Krispy Kreme doughnuts for our celebration. We had a REAL celebration tonight in La Fiesta Mexican restaurant, where after dinner we shared the decorated cake sent by my brother, Chuck, and Jackie. It was inscribed: Hooray, Hooray, You Are Now Halfway! Thanks!

Cake to Celebrate Half-way

The group has lightened up considerably, for example, early on some of us were seen sneaking a beer back to the room in a paper bag. NOW, several brought $9.00 margaritas to the dinner table tonight. Progress.

Cycling into Abilene, the former booming cowtown at the end of the Chisholm Trail, I could not get out of my head the song: "Abilene, Abilene, Prettiest Town I've Ever Seen." It is the prettiest town we have seen in quite some time; upscale, with first class museums--especially the Eisenhower center which includes Ike's boyhood home. Very nice.

Outside of Abilene we were chased by a pack of dogs coming across a large lawn. Confidently, we thought that being good fast bikers we could outrun them. As they got closer we saw that they were GREYHOUNDS. The outrun option vanished. We were saved by a fence. Later we learned that Abilene is home to the Greyhound Hall of Fame and has a greyhound track.

I mentioned that Dan is making a DVD movie of our trip. This has opened up new opportunities for exciting cameo roles for some of our "actors". Hilarious!

On to Topeka tomorrrow in a "century" ride.

         - Bill

Previous Entry -- Next Entry

Journal Entry Home

Contact Bill now at bill@bikingwithbill.org
Website questions?  Contact Katy at info@bikingwithbill.org.